Oban schoolboy launches his own eco-war on plastic straws
SIX-YEAR-OLD ‘eco-boy’ Felix Hughes is on a superhero mission to save the world from plastic waste.
Felix, a pupil at Oban’s Rockfield Primary School, has tackled giant milk supplier Müller Milk over the use of plastic straws it attaches to its drinks cartons.
The campaigning youngster, inspired to stop plastic pollution after watching TV hit Blue Planet, sent copies of his Müller Milk letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, the boss of Argyll and Bute Council, local politicians, Greenpeace, his head teacher and The Oban Times.
In his letter, he said: ‘I like milk but I don’t like the straw and the plastic wrapping it comes in. My school is quite big and we think there is around 1,000 straws going into the bin every week. I would like you to make paper straws or design something that you can drink out of that does not have any plastic in but can still break the carton lid.’
A Müller spokesman said its straws on milk cartons can be recycled into non-food products and it is working with its packaging supplier to identify potential alternatives.
He added: ‘Our advice is to leave the straw in the pack and to ensure the pack is sent for recycling.’
Felix’s mum Susannah said they had double-checked with Argyll and Bute Council and were satisfied Müller’s advice was correct.
The youngster’s school is following Felix’s lead and is waiting for delivery of new recycling bins to help keep it green.